Monday, March 11, 2019

Bathroom Fright

Dear Lila,

I was mopping your bathroom floor this afternoon, just minding my own business, when I swung the bathroom door closed so that I could mop the section behind the door. Little did I know that YOU were hiding behind the door! I had no idea that you were even in the bathroom and when I looked behind the door, there you were, beaming at me like the Cheshire Cat. It was the last thing I was expecting and I let out a loud, shrill, blood-curdling "AAAAGGGGHHHH!". Then I started laughing and crying at the same time. HO-LEE CRAP, Lila! I don't think I've ever screamed like before that because I've never been scared like that before!

Love,
Mom

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Out and About

Dear Lila,

You lost your first tooth tonight! Your bottom middle baby tooth had been loose for about a week and I noticed that it was more wiggly tonight while I was flossing your teeth. It still seemed pretty attached to your gum, though, so I thought we had several more days until it fell out. I was wrong. I brushed your teeth for a few seconds and told you to spit. You spit into the tub (we brush your teeth at my bathroom's tub) and we both saw some blood in your spit. You spit a couple more times and then you shouted, "My tooth!" Yep, there it was--this teeny tiny white nubbin and it was precariously lodged right in the cap that covers the tub drain. You started spitting out more blood and consequently began freaking out. My first instinct was to comfort you but I also wanted to save your tooth before it was slipped down the drain! I went with my first instinct and ran to get you tissues to soak up your bloody spit. I said everything would be fine and then I called out for Daddy. I told him to get a plastic fork, which I was able to use to carefully scoop out your tooth and prevent it from disappearing down the drain. Success!

Your first official lost tooth! My growing girl!

Love,
Mom

Saturday, February 23, 2019

Toast of the Town

Dear Lila,

Yesterday, I taught you how to use the toaster oven to make toast and you were so excited about learning this new skill that I said you can make my toast every morning. So this morning, you did just that while I was still in bed. You put a slice of bread in the toaster and when it was done, you put it on a plate, took the cream cheese out of the fridge and used a butter knife to slather cream cheese on the toast. You excitedly came and got me out of bed and I went downstairs to eat the first breakfast you had ever made for me. I took a big bite and, well, almost gagged. You, my little chef-in-training, had put chive and onion cream cheese on a slice of sweet blueberry toast. Gotta say, not my favorite flavor combination but I am proud of you for making me breakfast all on your own. Thank you, sweetie!

Love,
Mom

Thursday, February 14, 2019

Midnight Mess

Dear Lila,

When you become a mom, you imagine the baby snuggles, the trips to the playground, the first days of school. You never imagine that one day, your 6-year-old will pull down her pants, squat over her mattress and poop in her bed in the middle of the night because she was half-asleep and thought she was on the toilet. Oh. My. GOD!

I check on you and your brothers a few times after you all go to bed and I was doing a routine check when I walked into your dark room around 11pm last night. I was expecting you to be passed out and snoring like you usually are but when I walked in yesterday, you were standing on your mattress. You saw me walk in and said, "I have to use the bathroom." Sure, no problem, I turned on the light so you could see your way to the bathroom and walked around to the side of your bed. What I saw first: your naked butt and your pajama bottoms around your ankles. I was confused and was about to ask you why you already took off your pants when you weren't even in the bathroom. Then I saw--and smelled--the sizable pile of poop on your mattress. Oh. My. GOD! It was a decent amount of poop and I yelled at you not to move but of course that made you move and you stepped right into the poop. Oh. My. GOD!

I called out for Daddy to come help, he carried you to the shower and I threw away your sheets and remade your bed with clean linens. I was worried you had a stomach bug but you were fine after your shower (and even started playing happily with your toys before I reminded you that it was the middle of the night and you had school in the morning) and there were no more incidents. Seriously. Motherhood!

Love,
Mom

Friday, January 25, 2019

Substantial Evidence

Dear Lila,

We had a not-so-typical conversation at breakfast this morning when you asked me out of the blue:

You: How do you pray?
Me: You just talk. It can be out loud or in your head and you say what you want to say to God.
You (hesitantly): Can you say you don't like God?
Me: Yes, but do you have a reason for saying that?
You: You mean I have to substantiate?

Whoa, questions about a greater being AND the use of a four-syllable word I didn't know you knew. That was a lot to take in before I finished my coffee!

Love,
Mom

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

All Finished

Dear Lila,

You had an eye appointment after school today and Daddy had dinner ready when we finally got home, so you weren't able to start your homework until we finished dinner at 6:30pm. You had spelling, math, grammar, science and reading/reflection (whew, a lot) and at 7:30pm, you had finished everything except the reading and reflection. It was late so I told you to skip the reading and reflection for tonight and I would tell your teacher that you couldn't do it since you came home late from the eye appointment. However, you insisted that you had to finish all of your assigned homework tonight and you were so passionate about it that I let you stay up and do it. You were done by 8pm and I was super proud of you for finishing all of your work and powering through when I know you must have been tired. Good job, sweetie!

Love,
Mom

Saturday, January 12, 2019

So Studious

Dear Lila,

You woke up with a fever this morning and to try and make you feel better, I said we could do whatever you wanted: read a book together, play a board game, play Barbies. You asked me, "What about my homework?" My super-responsible girl, even with a 101-degree fever!

Love,
Mom